Those Last Seconds of Normalcy
by m47e47l
Summary: Set at end of The Telling. Vaughn's thoughts as he drives to Syd's to pick her up for Santa Barbara. One shot


**A/N:** Hey, this is just a little one piecer that I have been playing around with. I thought it would interesting to write from Vaughn's perpective as he drives to Sydney's house at the end of The Telling.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Alias, however I do own the right it obsess completely over it!

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He drives, trying hard not to speed. Anticipation shrouds him and he can't wait to get to his destination. A holiday- how long had it been? Too long. He'd been letting work consume him these past couple of years. He smiled when at that thought. Who was he trying to kid? He hadn't been letting work take over; he'd been letting her take over.

Absentmindedly he pats his jacket pocket, making sure that it was still there. Was he really going to do this? Their time together- _actually_ being together- had been so short. But the time spent building up to that moment- the moment when everything had, for the first time in his life, felt complete. That time had cemented their relationship. Even before feelings had been confessed, it was as if they were already committed. They were meant for each other. He was sure of that. It would be the two of them together- forever.

'That is such a cliche.' A voice in head said, and he had to laugh. Damn right, he was a cliche and he didn't care. That was what she did to him.

Again to his coat pocket. There was a constant need to keep checking- as if it would just disappear into thin air. He still hadn't decided how he was going to do it. Would he just spit it out in any old place. Or perhaps a fancy dinner and then getting down on one knee. Public? Private?

"Will you marry me?"

"Marry me."

"Will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Their lives. How would they spend their life together? Would they stay in the same profession? Somehow he couldn't see her leaving the life, and he, himself, relished his job. Before her it was the only thing that really gave him a purpose.

In his mind was the image of a house. Just an ordinary old house, that would be more special than any place on Earth. They would live there, build a life together there. Raise a family there. A family. That thought repeated over and over again in his mind. The idea of having a family was never something that he really wanted. Not until he met her.

He sighs as the light ahead turns red. It seemed to him that he was getting stuck at every single one. He went to pick up his phone. The debrief had taken forever. Well, not literally, but that was how it felt to him. Eons had passed since he'd seen her last. He had said that he would return soon to pick her. She must be wondering where he had gotten to.

No, scratch that. She knew what work was like and so he put his phone down. There was no need to call ahead. She would know that he would be there and then they could leave.

As drove (and stopped continuously at every red light) he couldn't help but reminisce. The day he met her. Sure time had stopped- literally, but it wasn't until later that he began to think that maybe their realtionship wasn't completely innocent? Was it when she said she thought he was married? Or at the pier, when she was so distraught and he wanted to do was hold her in his arms? Perhaps it was when he confinded in her about his father. Maybe, when he felt compelled to purchase her a Christmas gift? He couldn't pin point the exact point when he began to fall. It was just moments here and there, combined with a constant hope that work would cause them to meet.

She was just a friend, he had defended when questions were raised. He was the only one she could trust and talk to. But inside he knew the truth and outside everybody could see what he was feeling.

But what had she been feeling? He remembered the feeling of elation that surged through him when she asked to that Kings game. He'd refused, but internally he was screaming "Yes! Yes!" But to be together was impossible. It had seemed to him that their relationship was over before it could even begin.

Nothing was ever easy, but they got there eventually. He smiled. He never believed that he would find somebody like her. He had always believed in soul mates, but who would have thought that his soul mate was the woman with the Bozo hair? The woman who had appeared so vulnerable when he first met her. His assest, his collegue. His one and only.

The ring was sitting heavy in his pocket and he wanted so desperately to be there already. Perhaps he should ask her before they left. He didn't know if he would be able to concentrate on driving, with that ring still in his pocket and that question on his mind.

Up above he sees her street and his heart starts to pound. He had missed her. It had only been a few hours since he'd seen her last- what would he be like if they were ever seperated?

He pushed that thought out of his mind. That wouldn't happen. That could never happen- not to them. They were meant for each other. 'They were the living cliche,' he thought with a smile. He'd have to tell her that one when he saw her. He knew she would get a laugh out of that.

He smelt the smoke before he saw it. It was strong, acrid. He wondered who would have their fireplace lit on a night like this. It wasn't cold.

But then he saw the smoke. He saw the smoke lingering around the blackened shell of the apartment that was so familair to him.

As he stopped the car out the front, his heart in his throat, Vaughn hoped to god that Sydney was alright.


End file.
